Woman denied abortion in Dublin fled to Britain but arrested by police in Liverpool

The woman who unsuccessfully sought an abortion after arriving in Ireland pregnant as a result of alleged rape, was arrested in Liverpool.Google Images

The woman at the center of the most recent Irish abortion scandal was arrested for trying to enter Britain illegally just five weeks before her child was born by Caesarean section in Ireland.

The Irish Times reports that Miss Y, the asylum seeker who unsuccessfully sought an abortion after arriving in Ireland pregnant as a result of alleged rape, was arrested in Liverpool.

The paper reports that she was held by English police for more than 11 hours after arriving on a ferry from Dublin.

Miss Y had found out she was pregnant on April 4th this year, shortly after arriving in Ireland on March 28th.

She had told a number of agencies in Ireland that she would ‘rather die’ than proceed with the pregnancy.

She made the claim because the pregnancy resulted from rape in her own country.

She had expressed a wish to have an abortion in Ireland but this was refused and her son was delivered by Caesarean section in Ireland on August 6th.

The paper reports that a copy of her custody summary drawn up by Liverpool police indicates she was arrested at Birkenhead ferry port at 8:35 am on July 1st and taken into custody.

She had just $40 in cash and told immigration services she was pregnant and wanted to harm herself.

The Irish Times adds that at 2:45 pm, according to the summary document, she was noted to be at ‘medium’ risk of self-harm.

Social services were contacted just over an hour later according to official notes.

The writer recorded: “Basically I am querying what options if any there are in regards to Miss Y and solicitors representation that police, immigration and social services have a duty of care to Miss Y and this may well involve assisting her in obtaining a termination given the alleged circumstances of her pregnancy.”

The report adds that two identity cards were among items taken from her while in custody.

The paper says it is not known how she returned to Ireland as the incident is not recorded in the draft report by the Health Service Executive into her care or in the Department of Justice records on her case.

The woman who unsuccessfully sought an abortion after arriving in Ireland pregnant as a result of alleged rape, was arrested in Liverpool.Google Images